Q: Is it a bad time to transplant hosta and ferns? My mother-in-law had some large bushes removed and the ground is very soft. We'd like to move these plants there now.

A: This isn't an ideal time, but you may be able to get away with it. One plus is that both hosta and ferns prefer shade, so that's better than trying to move perennials in the full sun in July.

I'd suggest waiting until early fall or early next spring. But if you really want to get it done now, try to do it in the evening and/or during a cloudy, rainy period (which doesn't happen a lot in summer around here).

Have the new hole ready so you can dig up the plants and get them back in the ground ASAP. Then water them well and keep the soil consistently damp the rest of the growing season. There's a good chance they'll flop and wilt for awhile, but hostas and ferns are generally durable enough that they'll recover.